01. Mausoleum02. Sea Of Basalt03. The Vault04. Cohorts Rise05. Hunter's Crown06. Through The Eyes Of Catalysis07. Under Callous Wings08. Passage09. Heir To The Flames10. Seven Riders

When last we left the Copenhagen trio they had swept the inaugural MSA Clandestine Cut award, winning both reader and staff awards for their 2010 Legacy Of Wolves EP. Since that point they done got themselves signed and recorded their first full-length album, To Solemn Ash.

So what do we get from their first proper album? More of the same. And while "more of the same" is oft a derogatory term for a band out of ideas that churns out a color-by-numbers version of their prior work, in this instance it can be interpreted as a good thing.

After a four-song appetizer and a two track amuse-bouche, enough just to tempt us, it's about damned time they put out a 10 track main course to sate our appetites.

So that's the more of it, and the same of it is the approach… it's largely fast-paced, pedal to the metal sludge. Whereas a lot of the American sludge-derivatives such as Mastodon, Kylesa, and Baroness have all gone "light" and incorporated 70's prog and effects into their tunes, Rising still pound out visceral and powerful tunes.

Take the main riff to "Sea Of Basalt" for example. I realize there is nothing particularly complicated about palm-muted chugging of the low-E (or whatever) string, but it's the way these guys do it that makes me want to go all "Jersey Shore Mike" and slam my head into … no, through… a fucking wall.

Most of the songs on To Solemn Ash have that mix of sludgish power crossbred with punk velocity and aggression. The production perhaps has the vocals (which sound a little off on occasion) a bit to the fore, but still does a great job in capturing the band attacking their instruments. Jacob Johansen batters his kit with police batons in place of drumsticks, while Jacob Krogholt and Henrik Hald play guitar and bass (respectively) strung with barbed wire with broken glass plectrums.

A couple of the longer tracks like "Cohorts Rise" slow down the tempo and are a bit more expansive. It's a great way to prematurely break up potential monotony of constant pounding, and allows your family time to bandage your gaping head wound and check for concussion-like symptoms before the next track, "Hunter's Crown" or "Passage" inspires another round of cerebral wall molestation.

Damned good first effort that lives up to the expectations set by their MSA winning Legacy Of Wolves EP.

Now if you'll pardon me, Mrs. COld has to take me to the Emergency Room… theems imm sssslurrringgg werdz anndd bleeeeding thru mybandagee onnntooo my keyboarrddd… anyone know a good drywall guy for when I get out of intensive care?

Comments

I'd take Rising's darker, pounding sludge over that of Baroness and the likes. I still haven't heard this one, but it'll definitely snake its way into my top 50 of the year if it sounds anything like you describe.

I only listened to the two tracks on their website. Solid, heavy stuff, generally, but the punkish leanings put me off big time. I suppose, if you like this, then it might be an 8, but it's pretty derivative stuff, imo.

VERY excited for this one. I remember a few amazing bands in the Clandestine Cut award category last year and it's awesome to see stuff happening for the deserving ones. Solid, heavy sludge with punk leanings? You're speaking my language

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"A life all mine
Is what I choose
At the end of my days"--The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs

I only listened to the two tracks on their website. Solid, heavy stuff, generally, but the punkish leanings put me off big time. I suppose, if you like this, then it might be an 8, but it's pretty derivative stuff, imo.

might be derivative, but is well played derivative that sounds really good. i like the raw, visceral nature of the music and their penchant for creating some crunching riffs.

I only listened to the two tracks on their website. Solid, heavy stuff, generally, but the punkish leanings put me off big time. I suppose, if you like this, then it might be an 8, but it's pretty derivative stuff, imo.

might be derivative, but is well played derivative that sounds really good. i like the raw, visceral nature of the music and their penchant for creating some crunching riffs.

I do listen to "derivative" stuff, don't get me wrong... but I didn't like some aspects of their music either, so it wasn't enjoyable derivative music for me...